diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/search/org/eclipse/cdt/core/search/tests/FunctionMethodPatternTests.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/search/org/eclipse/cdt/core/search/tests/FunctionMethodPatternTests.java
index 0f0672dee91..c10ca4bde46 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/search/org/eclipse/cdt/core/search/tests/FunctionMethodPatternTests.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/search/org/eclipse/cdt/core/search/tests/FunctionMethodPatternTests.java
@@ -224,4 +224,14 @@ public class FunctionMethodPatternTests extends BaseSearchTest {
 		matches = resultCollector.getSearchResults();
 		assertEquals( matches.size(), 0 );
 	}
+	
+	public void testBug63478(){
+		ICSearchPattern pattern = SearchEngine.createSearchPattern( "A::B::f(*)", METHOD, DECLARATIONS, true );
+		
+		search( workspace, pattern, scope, resultCollector );
+		
+		Set matches = resultCollector.getSearchResults();
+		
+		assertEquals( matches.size(), 4 );
+	}
 }
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/ChangeLog b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/ChangeLog
index 8dff347ebb9..f3d725a490e 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/ChangeLog
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+2004-05-21 Andrw Niefer
+	fix bug 63478
+
 2004-05-21 Andrew Niefer
 	Indexer problems reporting: group problems under the indexer job in progress view
 
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/search/matching/CSearchPattern.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/search/matching/CSearchPattern.java
index 2f8792d4f83..2b10908c47f 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/search/matching/CSearchPattern.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/search/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/search/matching/CSearchPattern.java
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.ASTNotImplementedException;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.ASTPointerOperator;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTClassSpecifier;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTCompilationUnit;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTDeclaration;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTElaboratedTypeSpecifier;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTEnumerationSpecifier;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTFunction;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTOffsetableElement;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTParameterDeclaration;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTSimpleTypeSpecifier;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.ast.IASTTypeSpecifier;
@@ -500,7 +502,14 @@ public abstract class CSearchPattern implements ICSearchConstants, ICSearchPatte
 			
 			if( declarations == null || ! declarations.hasNext() )
 				return null;
-			IASTFunction function = (IASTFunction) declarations.next();
+			
+			IASTDeclaration decl = (IASTDeclaration) declarations.next();
+			if( !(decl instanceof IASTFunction) ){
+				//if the user puts something not so good in the brackets, we might not get a function back
+				return list;
+			}
+			
+			IASTFunction function = (IASTFunction) decl;
 			
 			Iterator parameters = function.getParameters();
 			char [] param = null;